Katana in defensive grip

[Mr_Sandman]

Originally Posted by zoncxs

The reverse is also true, going from using one hand to two hands changes the skill required.

There is nothing in that section about using two hands to wield a weapon that is usually used one-handed.

Originally Posted by zoncxs

The broadsword skill is for using weapons in one hand, not two. If using two hands, you use the two-handed sword skill.

I agree that if a small, weak character were to use a weapon that was made to be a broadsword as a two-handed sword, they should use two-handed sword skill.

The defense grip is a different case. It's clearly about gripping the weapon in a way that is not usual for using it to attack, by bringing a second hand to the weapon to make stronger defenses against frontal attacks. When a character uses a defensive grip, they are required to use two hands, even when they are using a skill that has no 'two-handed' equivalent, or a weapon that doesn't have stats for two-handed use. The defensive grip rules specifically refer to fencing weapons. What skill would someone using a smallsword have to switch to when they are holding it in a defensive grip?

This is a case of the specific trumping the general. If the default way you use a weapon is with two hands, use the appropriate two-handed weapon skill. However, defensive grip is a specific case where you have to use two hands, no matter what skill you use with the weapon.

[zoncxs]

According to Peter Dell'Orto and Dr Kromm, The skill used does not change. Found the quote about this in an old thread that I attached to my previous comment.